Things couldn't have gone much worse for first-year Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan.
He juggled trades, quarterback injuries and a lot of losing en route to going 3-14 to land the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft.
If Callahan was fired after the season, it wouldn't have been a huge shock. Some coaches have been fired for more, but the Titans are giving Callahan another shot to prove himself as to why he should lead the team.
"I think we could have done a better job [last season], and our job is to do it better the next time," Callahan said via ESPN insider Turron Davenport.
"You make adjustments, you grow, you do things differently and certainly there's parts of that that I learned lessons in, and I've learned to move forward and you try to grow and do it better the next time."
Callahan is hoping to apply the lessons he learned in his first season to change how the second go-around will end up. If he can find a way to improve on his end, the Titans should win more games this season.
Callahan has to change, but there are a lot of variables that are beyond his control. It remains to be seen if No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward will be the right quarterback for the team. If he's not, Callahan may end up taking the fall.
Injuries also played a large part in why the Titans struggled so much last season. If the Titans are bit by the injury bug again, it could cost Callahan his job.
There's not much Callahan can control as the head coach, but he can do everything in his power to try and ensure that the Titans are in the best position to win.
Recent NFL trend is not encouraging for Brian Callahan's job security
The Tennessee Titans begin the 2025 season starting over yet again at the quarterback position, although this time might be the most exciting development they have had in years. They drafted Cam Ward with the first overall pick, making him the first No. 1 selection at QB in franchise history.
Even though Ward didn't garner as much pre-draft hype as most No. 1 overall QBs, it was evident the Titans were 100% sold on him and getting the most out of his upside. Plenty of people, especially those within the organization, have raved about Ward's character and leadership, which alone should bring an element the Titans have not had in a long time.
It is a fresh and seemingly great beginning, but of course, nothing is remotely definitive about Ward until he officially plays in the NFL. When you look at other teams in this situation in recent history, it has not gone particularly well for them.
Aside from Ward, obviously at this point, five of the last seven head coaches of rookie quarterbacks drafted first overall have been fired. That is not an encouraging stat for Brian Callahan, who has lots of pressure to improve in 2025 if he wants to keep his job, and the odds might already be stacked against him.
It also might be why several people are already super low on Ward and his chances of success in Tennessee.
That being said, when you look at the coaches who did get fired, they really were not in similar situations to the one Callahan is in now. And the two who actually did keep their jobs were much more comparable to Callahan in many ways. While it may not be a totally promising scenario for him, it is not all doom and gloom.
